Sleep disturbances or insomnia are an increasing and serious problem in modern times. The average sleeping time has decreased by 30 minutes in the last 20 years. Approximately one in ten persons suffer from such extreme sleep disturbances that medical assistance is necessary. The treatment of sleep disturbances is mainly in the form of sleeping tablets, which is expensive and does not guarantee success. Finally taking sleeping pills may also lead to health damage.
In most cases insomnia has a psychological cause. In particular, many people have anxious feelings leading to chronic sleep disturbances. Apart from mental and physical disorders, another major reason for the occurrence of sleep disturbances lies in external noise. This can be caused by noise outside the dwelling, for example, street noise. Secondly noise-related sleep disturbances may be due to sounds caused inside the dwelling, for example, sound reproduction equipment, children and other persons. Persistent background noise can lead to sleep disturbances even when this disturbance factor has long been eliminated.
Also snoring and impaired breathing as a result can lead to sleep disturbances of the snorer. The breathing-related sounds are caused by flapping movements of the slack soft palate or by the tongue dropping back. Frequently the occurrence of snoring sounds depends on the position of the head during sleep. Lying on one's back during sleep promotes the production of sound.
Third persons too have their sleep disturbed by snoring sounds. During snoring a volume of up to 88 decibels can be reached, which roughly corresponds to the volume of a motor truck driving directly next to the ear.
Various sound insulation means (covering the ears or capable of being inserted in them) are already known. However known means of sound insulation are disadvantageous in so far as the sound reduction obtained is not sufficient, and various important sounds such as the alarm of an alarm clock, an alarm system, a telephone or the sounds occurring in case of a break-in are not perceived.
The sound insulation means already known do in certain circumstances remedy the sound-related sleep disturbances, but are then the cause of sleep disturbances because they create anxieties. These include the fear of not hearing important sounds. In most cases, therefore, use of the sound insulation means already known is completely dispensed with.
During snoring the known sound insulation means are unsuitable for remedying the sleep disturbances of the snoring person himself or herself. In some snorers snoring is even assisted by these means, as their own snoring is no longer perceived and the snorer is no longer urged to change his or her sleeping position. Impaired breathing continues to lead to sleep disturbances.
Also the partners of snorers have very bad sleep disturbances. Use of the known sound insulation means has declined for fear of not hearing phases of breathlessness of the snoring partner and then not being able to react if breathing should cease.